Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Hello. Today I've been experimenting with a stamp positioner. I have seen these around in the past but never really understood their purpose. But now I'm doing more stamping and especially two-step stamping with some of the lovely Stampin' Up sets, I can really see the benefit.

If you look carefully at the two picture above, you will see that in the first there is an overlap of the stem and the flower. Whilst this is not major, it irritates me and detracts from the over all effect.In the second picture, the image stamped using the stamp positioner, you can see there is no overlap and the over all effect is far more pleasing.

Now, you can buy a stamp positioner, Woodware do an acrylic one and Stampin' Up sell the Stamp-a-ma-jig. (I think I will invest in one in the future.) For a quick fix I found a Youtube video that explained how to make your own. And as it is made from 5 duplo blocks, I had the materials to hand.

So I started by stamping the stem onto my cardstock.

Then I stamped the flower head on to the acetate which was butted up to the duplo blocks. Making sure the acrylic block with the stamp attached was also butted up to the blocks.

Then you position the image that is on the acetate exactly where you want it to be on your cardstock

Then position your blocks around the acetate, being careful not to move it. Then slide the acetate away and stamp once more with the stamp directly onto the cardstock. Then you should have a perfectly positioned image.

Once I practised, I got quite quick and proficient at it and have made a couple of cards using this tool and technique. I like it because it now, I can decide where images will go with precision instead of the fingers crossed it goes where it should that used to happen!

Here are a couple of cards made by using the positioner. The stamp set used for both cards is Sweet Summer.

Friday, April 25, 2014

It is. It came round quickly this time. I managed to find time to make my five Christmas cards yesterday, whilst both girls were at school/pre-school.

I had a quick look on Pinterest and found a nice design to pay tribute to! (I now can't find the pin I saw, if I find it I'll come back and put a link to it.)

I dug out my Christmas patterned paper and cut the strips. I use the Stampin' Up envelope punch board to cut the v in the strips to mimic ribbons. The greeting is an old stamp that lurks in the Christmas box. I decided to heat emboss the greeting. I haven't heat embossed anything for a while. I had forgotten how satisfying it can be, I really enjoyed that and will make a point of doing more in the near future.

I'm pleased with the finished cards, and I'm chuffed how my stash of Christmas cards is growing already!

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Well, I have created this afternoon. A good friend has just moved into a new home so this is the card for her.

I used the Stampin' Up sweetly framed stamp set. It is a really cute set which does for several occasions. I also have the matching label punch which, I think, finished it off nicely. I then made a matching envelope using the envelope punch board and stamped a row of cute little house across the bottom to match.

That's how long I've been gone from my blog. I do have a good reason, well I think so. At the beginning of the Easter holidays we took our first family holiday that involved flying! I am a bit of a worrier so I was extremely relieved that both girls were fabulous travellers and took the flights in their stride. We had a fabulous week in the sun in Spain visiting my mum.

Since returning, I have had little time to do much crafting. Yesterday I decided to tidy my desk. This however, turned into a much bigger task of reorganising! That meant going through the 'it has to get worse to get better' phase!

I've finished this morning and am now sitting typing whilst it pours down outside but that doesn't matter as my craft room is nice and clean and organised!

I even reorganised in my cupboard in the vain attempt that I'll use more stuff up if it is nearer to me when I'm working.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

I just thought I'd let you know what I'm upto today. I'm at my lovely monthly free style crop. From 10 until 3 I get to sit with lovely company and craft. Today I'm working on a challenge layout. A spring themed layout using only a kit from a friend. Here's the work so far:

The pictures are from a day out at Whisby nature reserve last spring.

I'm loving the little string of bunting that I made using the Stampin' up punch.